For the last five days hundreds of marooned families have taken shelter in the plastic tents on the eastern side of Dhrala bridge on Kurigram–Bhurungamari highway. They are Nasrin Begum, Jamiron Bewa of Panchgachi Kadamtala village of Sadar upazilla and Rafiqul Islam, Mojor Ali of Char Sabujpara village of Bhogdanga union.
They have taken shelter here on both sides of the highway after there homesteads were inundated by flood water. But during these five days they did not get any single drop of relief either from government or from any no-government organization, as told by these hapless people.
This scene is not only of Kurigram – Bhurungamari highway it can be seen in al the nine upazillas of the district where the displaced people have taken shelters on all highways and embankment by making make-shift tents of plastic and thatched tin roof temporary sheds.
Besides, those who did not leave their houses they have taken shelters on high ‘machan’ inside their house and also on the boats. However these people can afford to cook one meal a day but the marooned people of Charland are passing their days either unfed or half fed with reserved dry food. They know that the flood water will remain maximum four to five days. So these families had preparation of keeping reserved dry food for four to five days.
But as the current flood has lingered their dry food reserve has been exhausted facing want of food.
It is learnt that Brahmaputra, Dharla, Teesta, Dudhkumar, Phulkamar along with 16 rivers are flowing on this district. Among the major rivers the water level of Teesta has slightly decreased and flowing under danger level. So the situation of Teesta basin has slightly improved but the situation of the inaccessible Charland located in the basins of other major rivers deteriorated terribly. These areas are now under flood water. The water of Dharla at bridge point is above 102 cm of danger level, the water of Brhamaputra at Chilmari point is above 123 cm of danger level, the water of Brahamputra at Nunkhawa point is 94 cm above danger level.
The district administration sources said that about 7.5 lakh people of two lakh families of 56 unions under nine upazillas of this district are now living marooned life with untold sufferings.
Under these circumstances the scarcity of human food and also of fodder for the cattle heads are prevailing in the flood affected areas.
So far the district administration has allotted 2 thousand packets of dry food, 500 metric tons of rice and Taka 13 lakh 50 thousand in cash and 450 tents which were inadequate to the need of the vast marooned people.
Relief operation by the non government organization or at personal initiative has started in a limited scale.
The deputy commissioner (in- charge) of Kurigram Md. Hafizur Rahman informed that letter has been sent for new allotments. After they receive new allotment it will be distributed among the flood affected people. At present the upazilla administration with the GR cash after purchasing dry food are distributing among the flood affected people.
The onrush of flood water from the upstream has ripped into the flood protection embankment at many points and also crossed the roads and highways at several points in all the nine upazillas of the district. The water has entered into villages, markets, hats and also submerged more than 400 hundred educational institutions enforcing their closure.